The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-07-13
For THE CLARIoN.l
Mississippi College Commencement

At IL q. M, Sunday, the people o.
| Clinton, visitors and students of the
College and the Central Institute, as
sembled in the spacious chapel to heal
the Commencement Sermon by Rev. E
| A. Taylor, ID. D., of Knoxville, Tenn
He is an alumnus of Mississippi College
and is the pastor of the Baptist church
at Knoxville, numbering seven hundred
members. The sermon possessed many
excellencies. 1t was clear, direct, prac-
tical, and all the thoughts clustered
around the one great theme: The Great
ness of Salvation. The unity of the
subject was nowhere broken in the ser.
mon. 1t was great in its divine author
great in the wealth of sacrifice, great in
| the design to rescue the race of Adam,
and great in it's wonderful achievements.
| The tone of the discourse was humble
yet fervent, and the delivery, pleasing.
| The Young preacher did honor to himself
and his alma mater.
| On Monday night, the address before
| the Literary Societies of the College and
the Institute was delivered by the Hon.
Geo. S. Dodds, of Hazlehurst. Conserv-
| atism in the Tendency of Our Litera-
ture, was discussed by the orator with
mastery skill The diction was ornate !;
the delivery, elegant. The subject was
| we'll chosen, and in its practical bear
ings in our day, is worthy of frequent
discussion. That which can alone con-
serve our Literature from decay, said
the orator, is virtue, and that virtue
must find its nourishment in the Christ.
Splendid thought! and it was empha-
sized as the conviction of a man whose
utterances and whose heart are in har-
mony.
The address before the Alumni Asso-
citation was delivered by Mr.. Anderson,
of Kosciusko. His introduction was
brimful of witticisms. His earnest
words on the Duties of Young Men to
the State, met a hearty response from
his audience. Mr.. Anderson is pleas
ant speaker.
The graduating exercises of the Col
lege took place Tuesday Digit. A large
audience greeted the eight graduates,
who were about to perform the last duty
before bidding farewell to their alma
mater. The speeches of the young men
indicated care in preparation, both as to
thought and style They speak well for
the young men and well for the College.
Bombast was charmingly absent from
the speeches, and the manner of speak
ing was delightfully."- easy and converse
tional.
The presentation of diplomas by Pres
ident Webb to the graduates, and the
presentation of medals to the successful
contestants in various exercises, closed
the work of the thirty.si session of
Mississippi Colleges the oldest male col
lege in the State. Some two hundred
students attended the College during
the year.
What magnificent work, this College
is doing in Mississippi! Without en-
dowmenC, without State patronage,
without the influence of State officials,
without the influence of their presence
on Commencement occasions, without a
full treasury to pay the travelling ex-
penses of trustees, as is the case with
State schools, Mississippi College has no
claim upon Mississippians except the
claim of honest, faithful, neritorious
work. Annually, the College matricu-
lates from two hundred to two hundred
and fifty students. Deep-rooted in the
affections of the people, she has the
sure proof of abiding support. Her
curriculum the scale of her works
equal to the best, inferior to none; her
scholarly faculty, composed of the ven
cradle President, Rev. DIR. w. S. Webb,
and the whole-souled and genial profes-
sors, Deupree and Leavell, and Whar-
ton and Whitfield and Sharp, the friends
and friendly advisers of boys away from
home, have endeared Mississippi Col
lege to the people. 1t is a safe school.
Temptations to evil are reduced to
minimum at Clinton. The moral i'm
press of the College is felt in every nook
and town of the State.
Eighteen trustees of the College at
tended its commencement; they held
three sessions for their deliberations,
and among other things, ordered that
the President of the College commend in
his report to the Baptist State Conven-
ton, the celebration of the Semi-C enten-
NAL of that body, twelve months hence,
with the special view of endowing the
College. CHAs. 81. OTKEN.